Papayas in Maryland test positive for salmonella

The Maryland Department of Health has instructed consumers not to eat Caribeña-brand yellow maradol papayas due to possible salmonella contamination.

As part of an ongoing salmonella case investigation, the department’s Laboratories Administration tested five yellow maradol papayas from a Baltimore retail location and found three of them to be contaminated, according to a news release.

It is possible that contaminated fruit were distributed to other locations as well, which is the reason the department issued a warning, said communications director Christopher Garrett.

The source of the contamination has not been determined, and an investigation is ongoing.

A price look-up sticker from a Caribeña-brand papaya, as seen in the photo accompanying the release, shows the website address of San Juan, Texas-based Grande Produce.

Esteban Corzo, a member of the sales department at Grande Produce, said the company is aware of the situation and is working to figure out what happened.